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Popular Stourbridge musician will be remembered at Bev's charity gig

BLACK Country musician Bev Pegg will be raising funds for Age Concern at his next charity gig as a tribute to his long-time bandmate Harry Rowlands who died last year.

Bev Pegg and his Cowboy Band will be dedicating their forthcoming sold-out Hagley Community Centre concert on Saturday May 17 to popular bass player Harry, who died last November - three years after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

Harry from Unwin Crescent, Stourbridge, was a volunteer and director at Age Concern, which helps the town's elderly; he also played a major role in the redevelopment of the Elton Centre a few years ago.

Bev said: "During his retirement years, Harry gave a lot of his time assisting Age Concern – Stourbridge on a voluntary basis.

"He also loved participating in our country music gigs, so as a tribute to Harry all of the profits from this event will be donated to Age Concern - Stourbridge."

Harry played for many years in Bev Pegg’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Band, Cowboy Band and Skiffle Group and over the years he shared the stage with a host of famous names including Robert Plant, Jasper Carrott, Clifford T Ward, The Syd Lawrence Orchestra, Sonny Curtis, Tommy Mundon, Duncan Swift and many others.

Bev’s six-piece Cowboy Band has become an established act on the UK country scene over the past few years. The line-up comprises Maurice Hipkiss on pedal steel guitar, dobro and violin, Pete Hartley on violin and mandolin, Pete Boddis on guitar, banjo, mandolin and vocals, Ken Wright on drums and vocal; and Bev on lead vocals and guitar.

While Bev's old school pal Roy Parry has taken over Harry's role as bassist in the band Roy, who has sung and played with many famous names over the years, was in The Rhythmaires with Bev in the late 1950s. He then went on to sing with Brian Pearsall’s Big Band, The Hedley Ward Orchestra, and then travelled the world entertaining on the QE2 before settling in Reno, Nevada, for 25 years.

He moved back to the UK a few years ago, however, and has now joined Bev's band.

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